Beiluo City, once the starting point where Lu forged the plane source, now boasted spiritual qi so dense it was terrifying.

  Plants grew wildly lush; many fused with source energy from the changes, gaining sentience—becoming spirit flora.

  On Lake Center Island, qi thickened; rainbow clouds cloaked the sky, raining spiritual liquid.

  Not Lu’s pure essence—mostly water with qi.

  But the rain transformed the island’s plants.

  Skyward chrysanthemums gaped, gulping.

  Green peach blossoms bloomed vividly, radiant.

  On the island…

  Lü Dongxuan strolled hands clasped, rain rejuvenating him—youthful vigor.

  He smiled; a Tianji Pigeon perched quietly on his shoulder.

  “The Young Master must have done something grand… another evolution.”

  His aura grew subtly.

  A qi vortex swirled above his head.

  In this blessed land, he stepped into Body Storage.

  Far off…

  Ning Zhao tribulated amid the rain.

  Cultivators watched the lightning—never lost awe, though not first time.

  She’d endured the second Heavenly Lock.

  Third risky, but odds better.

  Cicada Wing Sword trembled, cracked—long companion nearing end.

  She stroked it gently; blood stained her white dress, but she held.

  Realm rising; sword obsolete—she accepted, no regret.

  Third thunder brewed.

  She planted the sword in ground.

  Raised hand, tucked hair, stepped—air waves rippled.

  Thunder crashed.

  She roared, dress dancing, peerless charge.

  Boom!

  Invisible blast; rain froze.

  Overlord clenched fists.

  Sima Qingshan’s robes whipped; final stroke—figure in scroll moved like an immortal.

  Painting birthed a sage!

  He stood frozen.

  Mind crystal clear.

  Rainbow clouds gathered overhead.

  Transformation; golden glint in brow.

  “Paint the way: beings, forms, myriad.”

  Head up to auspicious clouds.

  Mind soared.

  Boom!

  Mind exploded.

  Golden spark lived—he birthed divine sense at Body Storage.

  Sense surged: lake ripples, rain in wind, chrysanthemum petals—all vivid.

  “Heavenly Lock births sense…”

  “I, not in Lock, yet sense born… nothing absolute.”

  He smiled, eyes closed.

  Far…

  Thunder dispersed; Ning Zhao landed, hair flying—evolving.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Clouds sliced; source feedback poured, enveloping her.

  Nie Changqing would gape—his feedback paled.

  Lu wouldn’t surprise: siphoned from Tianyuan orb.

  Ning Zhao seized heaven, earth, harmony.

  She sat; wounds healed, dishevel ragged no more—immortal air.

  Dragon roars faintly behind.

  Spine like dragon—shatter the Lock!

  Ning Zhao entered Heavenly Lock!

  In feedback, lashes trembled; tempered three vertebrae.

  Strength skyrocketed.

  She stunned herself.

  Rumble…

  Suddenly.

  Thunder gathered anew.

  She opened eyes, baffled.

  Lock passed—whence this?

  All cultivators startled.

  “This thunder… Pill Tribulation.”

  Jing Yue’s grave voice echoed island-wide.

  Lü Dongxuan clutched gold chain, disbelieving.

  Overlord stared.

  Even forging-obsessed Gongshu Yu emerged.

  Under a skyward chrysanthemum…

  Jing Yue held Jing Tian Sword, umbrella for Ni Yu.

  Ni Yu’s chubby face flushed crimson, grave.

  Black pot glowed red; pills bounced, clanging.

  Thunder hers.

  Ning Zhao paled.

  What?

  “Little Ni, stop!”

  Tribulation—with Body Storage entry? Impossible.

  “No…”

  Qi poured into pot; stubborn shake.

  Popped Qi Gathering Pill, restored, continued.

  Nie Shuang distant, tense—best friends; worried.

  “Little Shuang, come.”

  Jing Yue called.

  He ran.

  Umbrella handed.

  “Hold steady—no rain on Little Ni.”

  “What will you do?”

  “I’m the tester—this tribulation, I block!”

  Jing Yue grinned.

  Ni Yu couldn’t.

  Weakest pill tribulation—still.

  “I will.”

  Ning Zhao said.

  Heavenly Lock—easy vs. pill.

  “Young Master said… tribulations scale to person.”

  “Your Lock realm—may draw worse…”

  Jing Yue drew sword, eyed brewing thunder, smiled.

  “Cause bears fruit… I test pills; now fruit.”

  Carefully unwrapped bundle, licked a pill, rewrapped.

  Boom!

  Ni Yu poured qi.

  Tribulation peaked—descended.

  Jing Yue gripped sword.

  Thrust skyward like lake poke.

  Sword intent unleashed.

  Narrow qi beam clashed thunder!

  Boom boom!

  Qi scattered.

  Eyes focused—hundreds slashes; split thunder.

  Lightning exploded around.

  Ning Zhao in feedback inhaled—weakest still heaven’s wrath.

  Long after…

  Thunder gone.

  Web dispersed.

  Jing Yue steamed, smoke from mouth, sword in hand—joyful grin.

  Ni Yu finished.

  Lid off.

  Fragrance burst.

  Pills out!

  Body Tempering—three!

  Chubby hand pinched; two patterns—beaming.

  “Young Master, I did it!”

  Bounced excited.

  “Old Jing, order up!”

  Hurled first pill at smoking Jing Yue.

  His eyes lit.

  Caught—warm pill boiled blood.

  Carefully held—no lick.

  Swallowed.

  ...

  Crack…

  Source fissure widened.

  Figure half-emerged.

  Lu sat calmly, watching.

  “You threaten again.”

  Flat.

  “Third time…”

  “Threaten? So what? You should know—my today, your tomorrow…” Cold: “Why make it hard?!”

  Du Longyang, Empress stared.

  Suddenly.

  Du inhaled: “You…”

  “Bitter Buddha Temple founder!”

  Empress, Tianxu recognized.

  Now clear: why Yuanshang unmarked yet aided.

  The “immortal”—Bitter Buddha’s founder, Monk Kutu!

  “Didn’t you perish 800 years ago in demon domain uprising?!”

  Du incredulous.

  Crack…

  Source liquid dripped.

  Bald man emerged, faint laugh echoing.

  “Perish?”

  “This deity… undying.”

  “Mere demon domain? Start of my plan.”

  Kutu said.

  “Ruthless! Temple’s great Buddhas—all harmed. Even your own!”

  Empress disheveled, chilled.

  “For grand ambition, true transcendence… their deaths worth it!”

  Kutu fully out.

  “Stop sucking!”

  Raged at Lu.

  Lu had intensified during talk.

  He smiled.

  Stopped.

  Enough—forced the hidden “immortal” out.

  Tianyuan source: one-fifth gone.

  Kutu not fully free—umbilical cord-like from back.

  He walked void in white monk robes—pure.

  “You refine all Tianyuan source… experts’ power as catalyst.”

  Lu said.

  “Success: Tianyuan collapses; you break shackles.”

  Stared: “Why?”

  Good development… why doom Tianyuan?

  Kutu eyed Du, Empress—smiled, no hide.

  “Planes have sources; recognition makes Plane Lord… know where sources come?”

  To Lu.

  Lu chin on hand, pondered.

  Hesitant: “Robbed?”

  His was…

  Kutu paused.

  Speechless.

  “Sources… from High Martial!”

  Du, Empress gasped.

  High Martial?!

  Lu brow raised—first mention.

  Sources beyond low/mid-martial.

  “My devotion contacted High Martial Buddha Realm’s True Buddha…”

  “Saw my faith, strength—if break Infant Transformation, he takes me to High Martial Buddha Realm! I become High Martial being!”

  Kutu excited.

  “But too hard…”

  Shook head.

  “Sought all ways. Didn’t want ruin Tianyuan—no choice. Without source, experts’ power—can’t break!”

  “Can’t enter true High Martial Buddha Realm!”

  “Miss this… Mid vs. High gap vast. Only there: transcend! True supreme Buddha!”

  Eyed Lu, fanatic.

  “You’ll face it. Walls everywhere, powerless… path to apex before you—resist temptation?”

  Lu chin-propped, frowned, shook.

  “Sorry, won’t happen.”

  “Want shackles… too hard.”

  Maybe post-100 Qi Refinement layers…

  But 100 layers—who knows when.

  Kutu: “…”

  “So you set ascension bureau—laughable lie?”

  Empress cold.

  Her mother, prior Empress, died ascending.

  Hated the architect.

  “For your transcendence—ruin Tianyuan, all die for you—heart not ache?”

  “Once revered monk—saved from demons. How become this?!”

  Fists clenched.

  “Source collapse: Nascent Souls don’t die—wanderers…”

  “Seize mid/low-martial worlds—live well. Why not?”

  Kutu smiled.

  “Common folk?”

  “Wildfire burns not out; spring wind revives.”

  “Beings like weeds—die, new born… worlds vast, folk countless.”

  “Care for ants’ lives?”

  Palms together.

  “Beast!”

  Empress cursed.

  Kutu unmoved.

  Lu listened.

  His Plane Lordship… different.

  Kutu’s gaze shifted to Lu.

  Smiled.

  “Advised you—didn’t want touch Plane Lord. Unknown if High Martial backs you.”

  “But now—no matter. Advised too much.”

  “One step away—your power: complete transcendence… rebirth in source.”

  Aura spread, strengthening.

  Umbilical trailed; stepped toward Lu.

  Lu calm in chair.

  Narrowed eyes.

  “Advice?”

  “No—threats…”

  “I, Lu Ping’an, hate threats most.”

  “Threaten? So what? You’re no match—too weak.”

  Kutu laughed—sensed Lu’s aura.

  Lu smiled, finger tapped Phoenix guard.

  Pressed slowly.

  Body rose from chair.

  White robes shifted to black.

  Terrifying aura surged; black qi faintly.

  “Long since opponent worth standing…”

  “I, Lu Ping’an, treat kindly—but your three threats… intolerable.”

  “Hope… you don’t disappoint.”